Archived Late 15 Minute Break?

[Leo47]

No one's trying to take away your 15 minute breaks. Just don't take them in the last 15 minutes of your shift. Agreed, no one should try to make you clock out early instead of taking your 15 but I would fully support writing you up for waiting that long to take your break.

But why does it matter when I take it?

 

[YoNanas]

I’ve seen TMs do it at my store and get in trouble for it. A TM who has worked at my store much longer than me told me she has seen people in the past get fired for it, so I just don’t take my 15 if it’s cutting it close.

The leads must be real petty to fire someone for something like that. It shouldn't be a problem to cut close. You're not clocking out early or leaving early and doing a punch correction. It's better to take your last 15 even at that time than never. You get paid for it so take it.

 

[sprinklesontop]

But why does it matter when I take it?

Here's why it matters (to me): If "everyone" had that same philosophy (going the last 15 of your shift); it could create a mass exodus of TMs off the floor at the same time. Example: I open w/ 5 A&A TMs each day..... If they ALL decided it was "okay" to take their last 15 min break at 2:45 each day, I'd have NO coverage in A&A !!!! We would not be aligned w/ the concept of modernization and Guest First.
Maybe your schedule doesn't coincide w/ several TMs in your department..... so it may not be a big deal. But it's frowned upon in my department..... and each of the TMs relies on the other TMs to be courteous and respectful of each other's meals/breaks.

 

[HRLady]

Occasionally, some people put off their last break for the last 15 minutes before clocking out.

I tried to pull that today and our HR person said I couldn't do that, that breaks needed to be taken a full hour before the end of my shift, and that I should just clock out now since she doesn't want me sitting in the break room.

My shift ended in the middle of the day and my work was completely done. It was also 16 minutes before the end of my shift, which felt like I was leaving too early.

I waited until it was 9 minutes before the end of my shift before clocking out just to be safe(r), but is that really a Target policy?

While I agree that you should not wait till the last 15 minutes of your shift to take your break, they shouldn't have deprived you of your second break. Ideally, you should have taken your break at an earlier time but there isn't a requirement to take it a full hour before the end of your shift. There doesn't seem to be a rule against taking it during the last 15 minutes of your shift either as long as you stay on Target property and remain on the clock. Talk to the ETL-HR about what happened and ask if you can do a punch correction to get paid for your required second break.



FYI, although they cannot prevent you from taking your breaks, they can start assigning each person specific break times if everyone keeps waiting till the last 15 minutes to go to their breaks.

 

[OneArmedJesus]

Writing someone up for taking their break at last minute is beyond petty, heaven forbid they cant get coverage or have been ridiculously busy. It's the reason why I don't do last 15s.

It's more lenient at my store, I've been told by ETLs during q4 to combine breaks, and the last 15 minute break before leaving happens way too much but they let it go through.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

I wouldn’t know GSTLs don’t get breaks

 

[HRLady]

It's more lenient at my store, I've been told by ETLs during q4 to combine breaks

Your "lenient" ETLs can get fired for violating Target rest break policy. They cannot ask you to combine breaks. The reason that breaks are spread out is so that you do not work 5-6 hours straight without rest and overexhaust yourself. Them asking you to take your first break way later is like an IDGAF about your health.

 

[LearningTree]

But why does it matter when I take it?

Writing someone up for taking their break at last minute is beyond petty, heaven forbid they cant get coverage or have been ridiculously busy.

It matters for coverage reasons as well as your LOD/ETL being able to plan out tasks. Especially at the end of the night when staff is already minimal. The entire salesfloor leaving to go on their last 15 at 1130 and then clocking out, leaves the floor without coverage for 30 minutes.

@SFSDan do you really expect me to believe that in your entire 6-8 hr shift you couldn't find any time in there to take your 2nd 15? You're either not taking advantage of the slow periods or you're not partnering with the LOD enough.

 

[OneArmedJesus]

@SFSDan do you really expect me to believe that in your entire 6-8 hr shift you couldn't find any time in there to take your 2nd 15? You're either not taking advantage of the slow periods or you're not partnering with the LOD enough.

It's not even that, I'm Electronics and I usually don't have proper coverage to even take my lunch but it's usually a personal decision not to take my last 15.

They would rather have someone who's trained to cover, if not then usually it's someone in Hardlines or Fitting Room. Due to hour cuts or bad timing, there's really no one in Hardlines, and Fitting Room is our last option

 

[Kartman]

LOL @ "The entire salesfloor leaving to go on their last 15"

If the LOD allows that to happen, then they need to rethink their role.

 

[OneArmedJesus]

Plus I don't think at my store you could get away taking your last 15 before close. It's usually alright during the day

 

[LearningTree]

It's not even that, I'm Electronics and I usually don't have proper coverage to even take my lunch but it's usually a personal decision not to take my last 15.

They would rather have someone who's trained to cover, if not then usually it's someone in Hardlines or Fitting Room. Due to hour cuts or bad timing, there's really no one in Hardlines, and Fitting Room is our last option

You should definitely be taking all of your breaks. You deserve them, first of all. Secondly, in any blowback were to arise from TMs waiving their breaks, your ETLs are not taking the fall for you.

Yeah I've definitely had issues where the Salesfloor ETL doesn't write a complete schedule (or can't because of hours). So I know the coverage isn't always written but there's always someone in the store that can cover. Yes, we'll pull from hardlines first but fitting room stays put (or should as per the new modernization). Worse comes to worse we'll send a cashier over. They won't know much about the department but having a body over there to ring up purchases and deter theft is enough.

 

[pellinore]

Wait, don't you get in trouble for not going to lunch....you know, the compliance issue?

 

[pellinore]

I don't think that most people plan their last 15 right before they leave....sometimes it just happens.
For those people who always save their 15 then there is a problem with the LODs and others for not paying attention to what is going on.

If the "right" people learn that you aren't taking your second 15 then you can get written up...I did. Now I make sure that if I'm working long enough to have a second 15 I make sure I take it.

 

[Kartman]

If you're not hungry, you don't have to take a lunch.

😉

 

[buliSBI]

Your 15minute breaks should be scheduled within the middle of your shift. Do not try to arrange it at the end of your shift yourself. If you were not provided a break, report it to your TL and they will try to give it you or may approve you taking it at the end.

 

[Kartman]

Well isn't that nice of them.

 

[BackroomBear]

Your 15minute breaks should be scheduled within the middle of your shift. Do not try to arrange it at the end of your shift yourself. If you were not provided a break, report it to your TL and they will try to give it you or may approve you taking it at the end.

Either ASANTS, or workcenters I’ve NEVER been told when to take a break at a certain time by a TL in 2.5 years.

 

[Kartman]

When I'm a CA nobody tells me when to break or lunch. I just make sure shit's squared away before I go.

 

[turncloak]

lol at my store, the etl of logistics requires the logistics team to take their first 15 minute break at 7:45, their half at around 9:30ish, and then their last 15 minute break 15 minutes before they're scheduled to leave. so it really does depend on your store and possibly your workcenter, i think.

 

[unknown]

All this talk about breaks and when Target says to take them when they know there are people who aren't getting breaks at all. Like GSTLs and the receivers. God forbid you take your break on one hand while we steal breaks from others. Hypocrites.

I bet Brian Cornell takes breaks whenever he wants.

 

[LearningTree]

If your GSTLs aren't getting the support they need to take their breaks then there's a serious issue at your store. Any TL, some SDTMs, and (last resort) the LOD can certainly watch the front for 15 minutes.

 

[unknown]

If your GSTLs aren't getting the support they need to take their breaks then there's a serious issue at your store. Any TL, some SDTMs, and (last resort) the LOD can certainly watch the front for 15 minutes.

But you realize Target saves money by not enforcing the requirement to take your breaks.

 

[Noiinteam]

Flow takes their break when called over pa in the am. Lunch is usually 11 and not later than 11:30. Last 15 is around 1 or 1:15. Never skip a break nor do we park it till 2:30 when leaving at 2:45.